Fire-alarm mechanism.



0. POENISCH.

FIRE ALARM MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8. 1915' v 1,238,81 3. PatentedSept. 4,1917.

q/vflineoow (a M v glkia, Ri 7 EMQW OTTO POENISCH, OF WEST ALLIS, WISCONSIN.

FIRE-ALARM MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 191 '7.

Application filed March 8, 1915. Serial No. 12,772.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTo POENISOH, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVest Allis, county of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Alarm Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in lire alarm mechanisms.

The object of my invention is to provide reliable and sensitive heat controlled mechanism for sounding an alarm in case of fire.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for not only sounding an alarm but also for releasing animals that may be secured within stalls or stables of a burning building, whereby when an alarm is sounded, the animals will be released and may be quickly driven out of the building by the person summoned by the alarm.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the switch for controlling the electrical circuit, showing also the switch operating arm in cross section.

Fig. 4: is a detail plan view of the switch and switch controlling member with parts of the frame and also the weight illustrated in horizontal section.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

A bracket 1 is provided with a pair of arms 2 and 3. The arm 2 is provided with a socket 4 and the arm 3 is provided with a corresponding aperture through which a weight 5 may be passed into the socket. The lower arm 3 is provided with depending hangers 7, and an oscillatory member or shelf 8 is provided with upwardly projecting ears 9 pivoted to the hangers 7 at 10.

Another set of hangers 11 and 12, connected with the arm 3, are employed to support a circuit closer, comprising a resilient switch arm 13 and a contact terminal or electrode 14. An arm 15, connected with the shelf 8,'projects underneath switch arm 13 and is adapted to engage and lift said switch arm out of contact with the electrode 14:. The arm 15 is preferably covered with insulation.

Normally the arm 15 will not exert suliicient upward pressure to lift the switch arm 13, but it will be observed that the front margin of the shelf 8 is notched, as indicated at 18, and a supporting member or strap 19 extends across the notch 18 in a position to support the weight 5 from the shelf. The supporting strip or member 19 is composed of a material which softens when heated. A fusible alloy, may be employed or any other material may be used which will soften sufliciently at a given temperature to allow the strip to bend and be forced through the notch 18 by the pressure of the weight 5. It will be observed that the pressure of the weight 5 is exerted upon the shelf 8 in front of the pivot axle 10, on which said shelf swings, while the switch actuating arm 15 is located on the other side .of said pivotal axis and will therefore be lifted by the tilting movement of the shelf when its front margin is depressed by the weight 5. Therefore, when the weight 5 is in position, it is adapted to oscillate shelf 8 and lift the arm 15, and with it the resilient switch arm 13, thereby breaking the electrical circuit above mentioned.

The electrical circuit may be energized from any suitable source of electrical energy, such for example as the battery 25. An alarm bell and bell actuating mechanism, indicated at 26, may be included in the circuit controlled by the switch arm 18, whereby when said arm is in circuit closing position, said bell will be sounded. In the drawings this bell is illustrated as supported from the bracket 1. It is obvious however, that it may be located at any convenient point or if desired, at a point distant from the bracket and switch.

The weight 5 is preferably in the form of an elongated bar or cylinder and when supported from the shelf 8, it spans the space between the arms 2 and 3. This weight may therefore serve as a clevis pin to which a strap, chain or other animal hitching device may be connected, preferably by means of a ring 28 loosely encircling the pin 5, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Therefore when the weight drops, ring 28 will be released, thereby releasing the animal hitched thereto.

lVith the above described construction, it is obvious that the alarm circuit will be normally open so long as the oscillatory member 8 is subjected to the pressure of the weight 5. But when the member 19 melts or softens sufficiently to bend or pass through the opening 18, the oscillatory shelf is released from the pressure of the weight, whereupon the switch member 13 moves to circuit closing position, its normal flexion or pressure being exerted in that direction. It is of course possible that a pull exerted by the animal upon the ring 28 will temporarily prevent weight 5 from dropping, even though the member 19 has fused 0r softened, but the animal will not remain in one position and the tension,-which it exerts upon ring 28, will be relieved at intervals sufficiently to permit the weight to drop, whereupon the alarm Will be immediately sounded and the animal released.

I claim- 1. The combination with a two armed supporting bracket, one arm being located above the other and each being apertured, of an n )ri 'ht wei 'ht rod extendin throu h the b D b b apertures adapted to be guided by said bracket, an oscillatory member formed to permit the weight rod to pass therethrongh, a support for the weight rod mounted upon said oscillatory member and adapted to yield under a predetermined degree of heat, and an electrical circuit, controlled as to opera tion by said oscillatory member, said oscillatory member being held out of normal position by said weight rod.

2. The combination of a supporting bracket provided with a resilient electrical switch, a shelf pivotally supported from said bracket and having an arm adapted to engage and lift said resilient switch, a weight adapted to swing sald shelf 1nto a position for actuating said switch to circuit closing position, said. weight being normally supported from said shelf by a supporting member adapted to yield when subjected to a predetermined degree of heat, said bracket being adapted to cooperate with said supporting member in normally holdin the Weight in shelf actuating position anc the weight in circuit breaking position.

3. The combination with a bracket, including a weight guided but otherwise unsupported by said bracket, a pivotal oscillatory member suspended from said bracket and having an aperture at one side thereof through which said weight may drop, a supporting member mounted upon said oscillatorymember in a position to support the weight in normal relation to said bracket, said supporting member crossing the opening in the oscillatory member and being adapted to yield under a predetermined degree of heat, an electrical circuit, a resilient switch controlling said circuit, and means connected with said oscillatory member for holding the switch in circuit breaking position under the pressure of the weight exerted upon the oscillatory member through said snpporting member, said resilient switch lieing adapted to automatically move to circuit closing position when relieved. from the pressure of the weight.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

()TTO PO ENISCH.

\Vitnesses Lnvnnn'r'r C. VVnnnmm, IRMA D. BREMER.

. Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C." 

